New and improved, now with video!

Due to our continued dry, warm weather, concrete work has taken precedence over the start of framing. In addition, drainage and erosion control was completed in anticipation of the start of the rainy season. The completion of the flat sections of concrete (covered patio, garage, and walkways) has made a huge difference in how the site feels; you can actually walk through it and get a good feeling for the layout.

The view from the covered patio

Looking up to the covered patio from below

Looking over the main house foundation to the covered patio and beyond

Looking along the walkway from the covered patio to the shop and pool

The covered patio looks like it will be the real high point of the house since the views are superb. It is open at the front and back with a big Rumford fireplace on one side and a large 3 section sliding glass door into the house on the other. At the front, a walkway leads past the garage to the workshop then the exercise room and pool area.

After several last minute adjustments, the pool design has been finalized and a permit obtained. Due to the problem with the clay vein, we had to move the pool downhill quite a bit. This actually improved the layout but will increase the amount of final grading. From the pictures, you can see that the pool is actually being built on top of the ground instead of in a hole. This will provide a good sized level area on the uphill side. The downhill side will be backfilled and graded so it blends into the slope.

Working on the retaining wall at the far side of the pool

Looking out to the pool foundation from the pool house

I shot a video walking through the site. If you get get by my amateurish narration, it provides a much better feel for the house layout. You can see it on google video:

For high speed lines
For low speed lines

(In)visible progress

This week saw lots of progress but not that much of it was visible. The Anderson Valley gets lots of rain in the winter, more than the Bay Area. The house is on a gentle slope and there is the potential for a lot of water wanting to drain through the site. The intention is to intercept this water and route it through a network of drain pipes and let it dissipate well down the slope. Much of this network went into the ground this week including a large concrete catch basin and major drain pipe (about 12” diameter) that will carry water coming down the road and off the slope. Drainage has always been an issue in our Oakland house and I really want to get it right at the new house.

The foundation is nearing completion and the slab areas (garage, covered patio, walkways, and main house basement) are almost ready for pouring. The pour will be broken up into separate days because job is too big to do in one day.

Prep work for pouring the patio/garage slabs

Main house basement hydronic heating

The excavation for the pool was also completed. You’d think this would mean there is a big whole in the ground but not in this case. Due to the unforeseen clay in the soil, we had to move the pool a little. This changed its arrangement to the slope so most of it will actually sit on top of the ground during construction. As soon as the rough concrete cures, backfill will go in and the pool will blend into the contour of the slope.

Suport beam excavations for the pool in the foreground

We really liked the idea of an infinity edge pool (this is the kind of pool where the far edge is invisible and the water merges with the horizon) but decided against it after talking to the pool contractor. Our number one criterion for a pool was that we could make it safe by pushing a single button. Although you can put an automatic cover on an infinity edge, it is evidently complicated and expensive. They also require more circulation so they waste energy.

Our goal is to keep the pool simple, not like some of the fantasyland pools you see in books. It will be a simple rectangle, 40’ long, suitable for Susan’s lap swimming. The bottom will be a dark pebble-like surface. There is a small adjoining deck with a hot tub.

We are going out-of-town for a short time so there will be a 2 week lag in updates. Hopefully, the next set of pictures will have the finished slabs and pool rough construction. We might even have the first wood up.